Showing posts with label Oatmeal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oatmeal. Show all posts

Sunday, 8 February 2015

MINDFUL EATING

Has it ever happened to you that you're so hungry that you just start chomping on things and gulp them down, without even tasting them? Or, at least, not for the first half of whatever you're eating?

Or has it ever happened that you were so focused on the movie you were watching that, when someone asked you "How is it? Salty enough?" you suddenly realised that you didn't know?

Well, to me it's happened like, five minutes ago, and it was a real shame, cause it was really awesome. I was having my 4o'clock snack while reading a book, and I was so into it (it being the book) that it took me some 4 spoons to realise that I cannot do two things at the same time.
Well, that might be a bit harsh towards myself, there are things I can do at the same time. For sure, there are.. well, but the point is, sometimes you shouldn't. Because doing to many things at a time makes you actually more stressed and less efficient, and it doesn't make you taste your coconut milk.

Mindful eating is actually one of the first meditations you should try when you approach mindfulness.
It all start with a grape and an alien (you).
You have to pretend to be an alien, and pretend you're seeing a grape for the first time in your life and, therefore, eat it as such.
You should first touch it, analyse its shape and its texture, and the way it feels on your skin. Then you should smell it. Shake it next to your ear.
Only now you can put it in your mouth, and run over it with your tongue, feel its weight.
And then chew it, and feel the sweet explosion you were not expecting.
And so on.
Slow? For sure.
But some things are so delicious that they really deserve all that time. And if they don't maybe you shouldn't eat them at all.

Well, my 4o'clock snack was definitely worth putting the book aside.

You'll need:
  • banana
  • coconut milk
  • oats
  • raw cacao nibs 
All you need to do is to blend together half a banana and two or three (very generous) spoons of coconut milk. Pour your mixture over half a cup (or more. I guess it just depends on how hungry you are) of oats and sprinkle it all with raw cacao nibs.

It's really five minutes. (If you knew where your blender was, I'm sure it would be even less).

It's gonna take - i hope- much longer to eat it than to make it.

Wednesday, 30 January 2013

MONTHLY ROUND-UP JANUARY. CAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW.

Well, it might have been that, of those only three posts that were published this month, you missed one.
And that would be a real tragedy.
Because it's when things gets rare that you realize how amazing and essential they are.

Ok, truth is that I got I new job and, together with it, a new life.
This new life implies abandoning my old one in favour of my office. In other words, abandoning my life. Period.
Then I don't have much time anymore, which is a shame, cause Baby is growing and she is really healthy, if you were wondering.
Nevertheless, even if I don't have any time to write about it, I still have time to eat -most of the times- which is reasonably good.

So, in case you missed it:

 we started with a kicking breakfast, on the  day in which you need it the most.
The basic recipe for pancakes, that I keep on forgetting, so I thought you might as well. I know you do.
And them some burnt home-made granola. Yummy!
And some do-I-need-to-describe-it home-made bread.
Wait for the Baby version!







Happy february and happy eating.

Wednesday, 12 December 2012

OATMEAL, MARMALADE AND FRESH MINT



 Oh yes, you saw it right.
That's oatmeal. And you know why we’re gonna try a new version of oatmeal? Because… it’s almost Friday!!! That is my slow breakfast day, hence, oatmeal day!
Yes, I know it’s actually just Wednesday, but the hope for Fridays is one of the few things that keep me alive, so, let’s try not to be to strict about it.

So, oatmeal!

This version is as easy as the other one, but this time I gave it a fresh twist with some freshly picked mint.
So, basic steps for oatmeal:
1 glass oatmeal = 2 glasses water 

This is the golden proportion. And remember that one glass of oatmeal is enough for two people. 
Well, or for a really hungry one.
This time no sugar: the reddish thing on top of the oatmeal, the one looking like marmalade, it’s actually marmalade, which is already really sweet.
So we said, for a reeeeeally creamy oatmeal pour it into the water before it’s cooking, and leave it on the fire –stirring from time to time- until it has soaked it all. Otherwise, for a medium creamy oatmeal, wait for the water to be boiling and pour the oatmeal just then.
Then it’s all about splashing it in your favourite bowl, choosing your favourite marmalade (I went for a superclassic: strawberry) and mix them together. Don’t forget to add some fresh mint for the real wake-up taste.
Quick, easy and healthy. I couldn’t love it more. 

And now, if you will excuse me, i'll go dreaming of breakfasts.


Friday, 23 November 2012

THE HEALTHY BREAKFAST FOR THE LAZY DAYS - OATMEAL AND CRUNCHY APPLE BITES

So I called it “the healthy breakfastfor the lazy days”, and that’s how it looks like.

It’s healthy, it’s yummy, and it’s slow.
It feels like a personal challenge to wake up every morning a minute later than the morning before, to see if even this time I can make it, to run there before the metro arrives, to feel the thrill..
Well, it’s not, there’s no thrill but the one I feel at 10 in the morning, break coming closer, when I realize that I will finally eat - because of course I didn’t have breakfast. Therefore when I left  there was no real rush to brush (fake, I constantly am in the urge to brush, but) since there was no food to brush away, which is the explanation of me going around with a toothbrush in my pocket at work.
All of this said, let’s go back to marrier thoughts: slow breakfasts.
There is one day per week in which I go to work in the afternoon, and in this magical day I get the crazy combination of sleeping more AND having breakfast. Heaven.
So, the only day in which I can have breakfast, I want a nice one.
OATMEAL AND CRUNCHY APPLE BITES
Ingredients:
There’s not much you need for this take on oatmeal and, considerning that these are among the most autumnal ingredients I can think of, you could have it even right now.
So, here we go – for two people:
-          Oatmeal – 1 glass
-          Water – 2 glasses
-          Apples – say 1 or 2
-          Sugar – 1 TBS
-          Cinnamon – a lot
Directions:
1-      Well, really important to remember is that, exactly like rice, oatmeal is going to soak all the water you give it, basically doubling in its amount. So, after figuring for how many people you’re going to prepare breakfast –or, after deciding how many times you want to have it- put the double amount of water in a pot and start cooking it. Now, if you want a really creamy oatmeal, you might put it right away with the water and leave it there until it soaks it all, taking care of stirring it from time to time. Otherwise, wait for the water to be cooking and pour the oatmeal in just then: you’ll get a creamy oatmeal, but that still maintains its basic structure.
2-      In any case, put a spoon of sugar in the water. Of course optional, but with slightly bitter apples I could use one.
3-      For the apples, same concept as for the oatmeal: if you want them really soft, put them in the pot together with the oatmeal while it’s cooking, if you want them crunchy, just add them when the oatmeal is ready. (I did half and a half. Yum.)
4-      If you like it, add a spoon of cinnamon (seriously, if you like apples of course you also like cinnamon) and eat it!
Wish you all a happy, slow breakfast.

FIOCCHI D’AVENA (ANCHE SE L’OATMEAL RIMANE L’OATMEAL) E PEZZETTI DI MELA CROCCANTI
Ingredienti:
non c’è molto di cui avete bisogno per questa versione di oatmeal e, considerato che questi sono fra gli ingredienti più autunnali che mi vengano in mente, volendo potreste anche prepararvelo adesso.
Quindi, per 2 persone(doveva essere solo per me ma ho sbagliato le dosi, quindi):
-          Fiocchi d’avena – 1 bicchiere
-          Acqua – 2 bicchieri
-          Mele – facciamo 1 o 2
-          Zucchero – un cucchiaio grande
-          Cannella: tanta
Procedimento:
1-      Innanzitutto è importante ricordare che, esattamente come il riso, i fiocchi d’avena assorbiranno tutta l’acqua che ci metterete, diventando praticamente il doppio (io per esempio ho un po’abbondato. Troppo, abbondato). Quindi dopo aver fatto mente locale sul numero di persone per cui dovete preparare la colazione – o dopo aver deciso quante colazioni volete fare voi medesimi in quella stessa mattina – mettete una quantità doppia di acqua in una pentola e fatela bollire. Dunque, se volete un oatmeal veramente  cremoso, potete metterlo direttamente in pentola con l’acqua e lasciarcelo fino a che non l’ha assorbita tutta. Altrimenti aspettate che l’acqua bolla, e aggiungete i fiocchi d’avena solo allora: in questo modo otterrete on oatmeal cremoso, ma in cui i fiocchi mantengono la loro consistenza.
2-      In ogni caso, aggiungete un cucchiaio di zucchero all’acqua. È chiaramente opzionale ma, con delle mele un po’acidule secondo me ci stava bene.
3-      Per le mele vale la stessa idea dei fiocchi d’avena: se le volete morbide morbide, mettetele in pentola insieme ai fiocchi d’avena e lasciateli cuocere insieme altrimenti, se le volete croccanti, aggiungetele alla fine quando l’oatmeal sarà pronto. (Io ho fatto metà e metà. Yum.)
4-      Se vi piace, aggiungete un cucchiaio di cannella (seriamente, se vi piacciono le mele ovvio che vi piace anche la cannella) e magiatelo!

Buona lenta colazione.


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